Storage nodes or servers in storage networks generally store data across multiple data storage devices that together comprise a data container, which is also referred to herein as an aggregate. Storage nodes may employ various forms of local data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, solid state drives, flash drives, or tape devices, as well as remote data storage devices, such as cloud storage devices or repositories for example.
Typically, the data storage devices host one or more data stores or volumes within the aggregates, which are associated with filesystems that define an overall logical arrangement of storage space in a storage network. Filesystems can have various formats and addressing schemes including block-based and extent-based addressing schemes that may utilize different sized storage blocks. User data associated with filesystems can be migrated to an upgraded version or newer release of a same filesystem, or to a completely different filesystem, which has different features and a different data layout or format.
Currently, data migration across filesystems having different formats requires copying of all of the associated user data, which has many disadvantages. Current data migrations are disruptive and time-consuming, often resulting in application time-outs, and require provisioning of additional space to handle data and metadata during the migration. Due to disruptive upgrades and large transition times, storage network administrators are resistant to upgrading or transitioning filesystems, resulting in suboptimal utilization of filesystems and associated storage networks and an inability to take advantage of new features in new releases.